Wednesday, December 19, 2007

An interesting interview between David Byrne (Talking heads) and Thom Yorke (Radiohead) about the music business. Interesting in part because of Radiohead's business model of putting their latest compilation of songs online for download, and allowing people to download at will, paying only what they wanted. CNN said this was dumb, but see the comments from the interview below:

Yorke: In terms of digital income, we've made more money out of this record than out of all the other Radiohead albums put together, forever — in terms of anything on the Net. And that's nuts. It's partly due to the fact that EMI wasn't giving us any money for digital sales. All the contracts signed in a certain era have none of that stuff."

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Some seriously bad mojo coming from the folks at the NFL. In their attempts to control their image, the NFL is trying to use existing law to control the free reporting of the NFL. And of course, it's all about money.

Techdirt: Sports Organizations Worldwide Using Copyright Claims To Fight Press Coverage:"Various sports organizations seem to have taken a page from the RIAA and the MPAA over the last few years, stupidly thinking that it makes sense to try to cash in on every little segment of their events, even if it hurts the promotional value of those events, killing off fan interest in the process. We'd mentioned earlier this year how the NFL was claiming that it could control how reporters reported on NFL players and events. Soon after that, we wrote about how the organizers of the Rugby World Cup faced a boycott from reporters, after they tried to put restrictions on the reporting as well. In both cases, the sporting leagues are claiming they can do this because they own the 'intellectual property' rights on the events -- which is a total bastardization of the purpose of copyright. It's never been meant to restrict how reporters could report on the events."

Monday, December 17, 2007

I recently discovered that my cable provider carries MoviePlex, which has a show called Musicology. This has actual music videos, which were something I thought had gone the way of the dodo since MTV discovered it's idiotic viewers were happy to live vicariously through the morons they plaster on TV.

So, I watch Musicology, and - surprise - am horrified. Of course, the music is not good (but at least it's not hip-hop). Mostly, it's a bunch of anxious teens whining about whatever.

But the thing that I found the most appalling was the pussification - or promotion of weakness and bitchiness - pretty much across the board. What I found interesting was that the vids geared toward girls were this way too! Hilary Duff was found to be a major offender; what a load she is.

But the onslaught of feminized males continues: Maroon 5, Coldplay, The Fray, of course, The Backstreet Boys (did anyone know they were still around?) and many others had this skinny-guy weakling thing going. Geez, no wonder we've got an onslaught of gays. Kids just don't have any role models and no clear way to go. (Before you go mental on me, do some reading on child development and the importance of strong role models, then flame away. A good place to start is with Erikson's stages of child development, particularly stage 5.)

I'll never forget a film quote relating to this; the film, "Young Man with a Horn," starring Kirk Douglas, the film fictionalized the life of troubled jazz trumpeter Bix Beiderbecke. Douglas is depressed, trying to find his way musically, driving himself literally to insanity. His pal, Hoagy Carmichael, finally tells him, "No one buys records for the music. You know who buys them? 12-year-old girls, so they can learn the words."

Mystery solved: The music industry caters to tween girls, and a lack of strong role models has our young men either becoming 12-year-old girls, or turning to trash like Marilyn Manson, et. al. Girls are endangered, too - without strong role models in music (Ann Wilson, where are you now that we need you?), they remain weak children rather than strong adult women. Who wants to have a daughter turn out like Anna Nicole Smith or Paris Hilton?

So music is more screwed up than ever, with ramifications that no one wants.

PC World - Oregon Challenges RIAA's Tactics in Music Piracy Claim:"The state Attorney General's office this week filed an appeal in U.S. District Court in Oregon calling for an immediate investigation of the evidence presented by the RIAA when it subpoenaed the identities of 17 students at the University of Oregon who allegedly infringed music copyrights. It is the second time in a month that Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers has resisted attempts by the RIAA to force the university to turn over the names of individuals it says shared music illegally.

"...Myers' move raises fundamental -- and overdue -- questions about the tactics used by the RIAA in its campaign against alleged music pirates, [ Ray Beckerman, a New York-based lawyer] said. "The RIAA has been bringing fake copyright infringement lawsuits, the sole purpose of which is to get the names and addresses of John Does," he said. They then drop the case and try to pressure these individuals into settling based on dubious evidence at best, he said.

"In a 15-page brief filed Wednesday, Oregon's assistant attorney general, Katherine Von Ter Stegge, said that while it is appropriate for victims of copyright infringement to pursue statutory remedies, that pursuit had to "tempered by basic notions of privacy and due process."

Bad Dad: Dad Sells Son's Guitar Hero III for $9,000 After He Catches Him Smoking Dope:"A 15-year-old Canadian had his hard-to-find Christmas gift taken off him before he'd even had the chance to unwrap it. After the teen was caught smoking a spliff, his father retaliated by flogging his Wii copy of Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock he'd lined up for his son's Christmas present on eBay, netting him over $9,000 in the process."

Sunday, December 2, 2007

PC World - Oregon Challenges RIAA's Tactics in Music Piracy Claim:"The state Attorney General's office this week filed an appeal in U.S. District Court in Oregon calling for an immediate investigation of the evidence presented by the RIAA when it subpoenaed the identities of 17 students at the University of Oregon who allegedly infringed music copyrights. It is the second time in a month that Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers has resisted attempts by the RIAA to force the university to turn over the names of individuals it says shared music illegally."